Concrete bridge



(No Modh) 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

A. GEISEL.

UONORETE BRIDGE.

Patented Sept. 29, 1896.

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2 Sheets-Sheei 2 (No Model.)

A. GEISEL. CONCRETE BRIDGE.

N0.568,673. Patented Sept-Z9, 1896.

THE NORRIS Perms co. Pnoro-L'rrno, wA'snluorom me.

NITED STAT S PATENT rricn.

ADAM GEISEL, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

CONCRETE BRIDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 568,673, datedSeptember 29, 1396.

. Application filed March 23, 1896.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known'that I, ADAM GEISEL, of the city of St. Louis, State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ConcreteBridges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to an improved concrete arch-bridge; and'itconsists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement ofparts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedarch-bridge. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the bridge shownin Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3 3 ofFig. 1. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 4 4of Fig. 1, the view beingbroken away at approximately the center of thebridge. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional View on the line 5 5of Fig. 1, the view being broken away at approximately the center of thebridge. Fig. 6 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail of the archused in my bridge.

Referring by numerals to the drawings, the water 1 of the river rests onthe bed 2, be tween the banks 3 and 4. In each of the banks 3 and 4 anexcavation is made for the abutments 5 and 6 and the wingwalls 7, 8, 9,and 10 of the bridge. Piles 11 and 12 are sunk in these excavationsuntil a solid foundation is reached. The upper ends of these piles aresawed off on a horizontal line about one foot above the bottom of theexcavation. The ground plan of the abutments and wingwalls is shown inFig. 3, the piling being shown in dotted lines. After the piles havebeen driven and sawed off the excavations are cleaned out to the virginearth. Alayer of concrete about one foot in thickness is then placed inthe excavation and thoroughly to form a thorough bond between thelayers.

When completed, the whole mass of each abutment and its wing-walls is asolid body of concrete. When the abutments and wing- Serial No. 584,439.on model.)

walls get above the surface of the ground, suitable false work iserected to mold said abutments and wing-walls into the desired shape.After the concrete-work has been finished, the false work is left inposition about three days, or until the concrete has become sufficientlyhardened to stand.

011 the facing-walls of the abutments 5 and 6 are surfaces 13 and 14,upon which the ends of the arch 15 are seated, the lines of saidsurfaces corresponding to the radial lines of the arch. The arch is inthree pieces when the bridge is complete, and consists of the two sides15 and 15 and the keystone 15.

The surfaces 13 and 14 are covered with tarpaper or other suitablesubstance to prevent the arch from forming a bond with the abutment. Theside pieces 15 and 15 are each constructed in five sections 15, 15, 15,15 15 15 15 15 15 and 15 In constructing the arch I work from each endtoward the center. The end section is cast and before it has time to setthe next section is cast and a bond forms between them, and so on untilthe pieces 15 and 15 are complete. At the boundary-line between thesecond and third sections from the outer ends of the pieces 15 and 15the arch is between thirty-five and forty per cent. thicker than at theinner ends of said pieces and about ten per cent. thicker than at theouter ends. The inner ends of pieces 15 and 15 are covered withtar-paper or other suitable material to'prevent abond with the keystone.The keystone 15is then cast in posi tion. The center of the arch shouldbe elevated slightly above a true center (about one inch to forty feet)in order that it may form a true are of a circle after the bridge iscompleted and settled. The false work used in casting the arch should beleft in position about twenty days after the arch'is closed or longenough to allow the concrete to set.

I omit the usual hannchings on top of the arch and in their place Iinsert concrete walls 16 in the form of right-angled triangles. Theshort side of the triangle rests against the vertical face of theabutment and the hypotenuse rests upon the upper surface of the arch,thus bringing the long side of the right angle in a horizontal plane forthe purpose of forming ribs to support the superstructure of the bridge.Similar walls 17 join with the wing-walls and the edges of the arch.There is no bond between the walls 16 and l7 and the arch. The spacebetween these walls is filled with clean clay and rammed solid, afterwhich the sidewalks and road-bed are laid in the usual way.

The iron railing is embedded in the coping and parapets, which are castof concrete and integral with the walls 17. Several coats of plasteringare applied to the face of the arch and the wing-walls, the finishingcoat showing an imitation of alternate smooth and rock face stonework.

Aside from the process of construction and the details of compositionused, the distinguishingfeatures of my concrete arch-bridge are thejoints in the arch and the substitution of the walls 16 and 17 for theusual haunchings,t11us leaving the pieces of the arch free to expand orcontract Without cracking or breaking the arch and will also allow asettlement of the support of the arch without cracking the arch.

1. A concrete bridge consisting of abuthaunchcs, and walls on top ofsaid haunchcs,

said walls being unbonded to said haunchcs and to said abutments,substantially as specilied.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ADAM HEISE'L. \Vitncsses:

E. E. LONGAN, MAUD GRIFFIN.

